Lazy Sunday (Dimanche paresseux)

As the sun rises on Sunday, July 17, all is calm here in Bellac. It is just over two weeks since I arrived here in France, and we have been to the Tour de France, three different performances at the Festival, two football games at the pub and had neighbours over to watch Bastille Day fireworks from our balcony. I have tamed the back garden by clearing out many of the weeds and vines that overtook large areas. I have also added some colour with some bedding plants and a hydrangea while Steve continues his work in the attic to get the extra room ready for our next visitors. (In fact we now have two bookings for next year already!) The hydrangea was looking a little ravaged at the garden centre, but the woman at the store ensured us that it was just a few escargots that had their way with it. With a 4 euro discount and the fact that it fit into our shopping bag so we could carry it home, it became ours.  

Just writing about it makes me tired, but interspersed with the many improvements we have made to La Maison, we have had time to enjoy the village with many walks and time to sit in the park or on church steps and soak in the atmosphere. The weather has been great with nice warm temperatures and other than a brief shower, there has been no rain since my arrival. We are entering a hot week with highs of 35 predicted later this week. The thick walls of the house do their work by keeping it quite cool. Downstairs in the kitchen you sometimes need a sweater. Along with the sunshine, there is usually a nice breeze which moderates the temperature. Il y a une brise agréable aujourd'hui. 

There was a kids' wading pool stored down by our garden shed that we brought up to fill with water.  We cleaned it and fixed a few cracks in it and hope it will hold the water. Also, la picine municipale will be a retreat from the heat. This year there will be no pictures of us in our bathing suits. (see my blog post from last year : "Quand en France").  

We have booked a week away next week to Carcasonne, an ancient medieval village about 4 hours south of here. Along the way there are many villages and attractions to stop at. We might even find time to canoe along the Dordogne River. It is a little touristy, but will be a nice break from the historical villages we will spend the rest of our time visiting.

Another wonderful meal

Before that we have one more quiet week here in Bellac. If it is not too hot, we will do some painting in the attic, and we have the electrician coming on Wednesday to install an extra switch in the attic so you can turn out the light when you are upstairs instead of coming down stairs and then going back up in the dark. The things we do for our potential guests.

This evening the pub below us is bringing back their "concerts". A group is playing this afternoon at 5pm. It will be nice to walk down and have something refreshing and cold and watch some live music. Dinner tonight will be moules et pâtes avec sauce pesto. A vin blanc should go nicely with this. 

Well that was then this is now. We headed down to the pub a bit early with the thought of a nice pre-drink walk. Well the band was warming up, so we headed to get a good seat and began with a pint of cider each which we needed to be refilled not long after. 

Sunday at the Pub.

The duo played the Eagles, English drinking songs, Sonny and Cher and..... It was a great way to end a lazy Sunday afternoon. We came home for an incredible meal as mentioned above. It was even better after a few ciders and white wine. The pain ordinaire topped off the excellent meal. After dinner drinks were had on the back deck with the view we will never tire of. As the sun begins to set, I watered my bedding plants and the vegetable garden and we retired to the house to Skype with family back in Canada. On coming home, we found we were recorded in the Cafe Pont de la Pierre Bellac's video on their Facebook live video feed. Check us out. 

We will republish with pictures tomorrow, today for some of you, yesterday for others.......